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Monday, January 7, 2013

Playing with needle tatting

Here is what I accomplished after trying to needle tat the other night!I forget who originally termed the scraps of tatting 'shrapnel' but this clearly is what it should be called. First I started with size 20 thread and too small of a needle so the ends of the thread got all shredded. I went up a needle size which helped. Then I started tatting with the thread that was attached to the needle and not the ball thread. So I started over again and third time's charm!! The little bit of a motif at the bottom is what I accomplished after quite a few attempts.

Getting better! This is try #2, Kira's Star. It was going swell until I ran out of thread that was attached to my needle. So this week I'll try adding more thread.

8 comments:

Your needle tatting so far is looking good. Barbara Foster's book is the book I used to learn needle tatting back when I first started tatting! I tried needle tatting first because everything I read about tatting said that shuttle tatting was hard to learn (the "flip", of course...), but that needle tatting was easier. So I started on the needle and switched to shuttle later. It's a great book; I found learning from it easy.

I've never understood the advantage of needle tatting? (I thought it originated because someone just couldn't figure out how to consistently transfer the knots from one thread to the other.) So, I'm wondering what the advantage is, and hoping you can tell me.

Interesting post. When I tried needle tatting I soon found I hated the look of it. However 'tight' the fit of needle to thread it still looked 'puffy' to me and the picots never seemed crisp enough. Good luck but PLEASE don't give up the shuttles.

Tatterjil - Her book is a great resource. I'm going to try to add more thread today, so we'll see how that goes. I'm not 100% sure if needle tatting is easier though. I do love my shuttles.

Dora - As I'm working through different motifs and such, I'll keep you updated. So far, I prefer my shuttles just because that's what I'm used to.

Jane- Thank you for commenting on my blog! Oh no, no worries about giving up my shuttles. I've just always been curious about needle tatting (especially for interlocking rings and celtic motifs) but I do agree with you; some of the needle tattings do look 'puffy' and I'm not sure that I like the look of it.

I just picked up the stuff to try needle tatting on Friday. I must say, I had a ton of shrapnel too! I tried shuttle tatting a few years back, got pretty good at it, but didn't really like using the shuttle! After only 3 days I'm now making a beaded necklace for one of my daughters. I like needle tatting much better.

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About Me

I am a Christian, twenty-something, farm girl living in Northern Illinois on a five acre farm with my family. I graduated from homeschooling through High School in May of 2009 and I am a Kishwaukee College graduate with a degree in Horticulture, majoring in Greenhouse Studies and currently working at gorgeous garden center in the historic town of Sycamore, IL.